Reader Pragati Kapoor's husband Girish met A R Rahman in Los Angeles.
Rahman had visited LA to attend the Golden Globe [Images] awards, where he baged the award for Best Original Score for his work in Slumdog Millionaire [Images].
If you encounter/meet/see film or television personalities and take a photograph or a video of the star(s), please scan the photograph(s) and mail the pictures and video clips to us. We will feature the best images and video clips right here on Rediff Movies.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
I took my children to London: A.R. Rahman
A very Indian rags-to-riches story has made it to the big stage and won itself the prestigious Golden Globe
AR Rahman
AR Rahman. (TOI Photo)
award.
Ask music
director AR Rahman whether Slumdog Millionaire (SM) will be a watershed film in India once it releases and he’s quick to reply. “Yes, it might change the way films are made to an extent,” he states, “SM is a very Indian story and not a white man’s one.”
Despite working on other musicals, SM is perhaps the great nudge that this Chennai boy needed to showcase his versatility on the big stage. Does he think that post SM, more Indian filmmakers will make movies with music in the background rather than featuring separate song-and-dance sequences? “That’ll become routine,” he says, “I like working on both styles – an SM type of a film and say, a Jodha Akbar type of film. They are two different styles in cinema and both of them need to be there. I believe that if you have a style and implement it right, you will surely succeed.”
Working on Danny Boyle’s film, which will release in India next week, was an experience that the music director cannot forget soon. “It was almost a holiday doing SM,” he smiles, “I took my children to London and had great fun!”
Rahman’s upcoming projects include Mani Ratnam’s Ravan and Shankar’s Endhiran – The Robot. “Yogi B’s song has come out well,” he says, adding that it is not the Superstar’s introduction song in the film. Though he is now internationally-acclaimed, Rahman is still considered “elusive”. Is that intentional, we ask him. “Work comes first for me.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t be giving so many interviews,” he laughs, “Sometimes, I just need to disappear or else I wouldn’t be able to deliver!”
AR Rahman
AR Rahman. (TOI Photo)
award.
Ask music
director AR Rahman whether Slumdog Millionaire (SM) will be a watershed film in India once it releases and he’s quick to reply. “Yes, it might change the way films are made to an extent,” he states, “SM is a very Indian story and not a white man’s one.”
Despite working on other musicals, SM is perhaps the great nudge that this Chennai boy needed to showcase his versatility on the big stage. Does he think that post SM, more Indian filmmakers will make movies with music in the background rather than featuring separate song-and-dance sequences? “That’ll become routine,” he says, “I like working on both styles – an SM type of a film and say, a Jodha Akbar type of film. They are two different styles in cinema and both of them need to be there. I believe that if you have a style and implement it right, you will surely succeed.”
Working on Danny Boyle’s film, which will release in India next week, was an experience that the music director cannot forget soon. “It was almost a holiday doing SM,” he smiles, “I took my children to London and had great fun!”
Rahman’s upcoming projects include Mani Ratnam’s Ravan and Shankar’s Endhiran – The Robot. “Yogi B’s song has come out well,” he says, adding that it is not the Superstar’s introduction song in the film. Though he is now internationally-acclaimed, Rahman is still considered “elusive”. Is that intentional, we ask him. “Work comes first for me.
Otherwise, I wouldn’t be giving so many interviews,” he laughs, “Sometimes, I just need to disappear or else I wouldn’t be able to deliver!”
Defamation case against A R Rahman, Anil Kapoor
Patna: An office bearer of a slum dwellers’ body has filed a defamation case against music director A.R. Rahman and actor Anil Kapoor alleging that the award winning film “Slumdog Millionaire” calls Indians dogs and slum dwellers slum dogs.
In a complaint filed before a local court here, Tapeshwar Vishwakarma, general secretary of slum-dwellers Joint Action Committee, has alleged that the film depicted slum-dwellers in bad taste as it used the derogatory and objectionable title “Slumdog Millionaire” thus calling Indians dogs and slum dwellers slum dogs, which is defamatory.
While posting the case for hearing on 5 February, chief judicial magistrate Raghvendra Kumar Singh directed Vishwakarma to produce evidence in support of his complaint.
The meaning of “Slumdog Millionaire” in Hindi is the millionaire dog of slum-dwellers, Vishwakarma alleged, adding that such a name was a violation of human rights and honour.
Vishwakarma said he has already approached the national and state human rights commissions for necessary action against Rahman and Kapoor, who portrays the role of a game show host in the film.
“Slumdog Millionaire”, which tells the rags-to-riches tale of an orphan from a Mumbai slum, won four Golden Globe awards, including one for Rahman, and has been nominated for 11 BAFTAs.
PTI
In a complaint filed before a local court here, Tapeshwar Vishwakarma, general secretary of slum-dwellers Joint Action Committee, has alleged that the film depicted slum-dwellers in bad taste as it used the derogatory and objectionable title “Slumdog Millionaire” thus calling Indians dogs and slum dwellers slum dogs, which is defamatory.
While posting the case for hearing on 5 February, chief judicial magistrate Raghvendra Kumar Singh directed Vishwakarma to produce evidence in support of his complaint.
The meaning of “Slumdog Millionaire” in Hindi is the millionaire dog of slum-dwellers, Vishwakarma alleged, adding that such a name was a violation of human rights and honour.
Vishwakarma said he has already approached the national and state human rights commissions for necessary action against Rahman and Kapoor, who portrays the role of a game show host in the film.
“Slumdog Millionaire”, which tells the rags-to-riches tale of an orphan from a Mumbai slum, won four Golden Globe awards, including one for Rahman, and has been nominated for 11 BAFTAs.
PTI
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Best Composer for Slumdog Millionaire at Santa Monica
Composer A.R. Rahman accepts the best composer award at the 14th Annual Critics' Choice Awards on Thursday Jan. 8, 2009 in Santa Monica, Calif.
Composer A R Rahman accepts his award for Best Composer for Slumdog Millionaire during VH1's 14th Annual Critics' Choice Awards. Rahman stated, "This is for India!" as he accepted his award. The movie also generated a nomination for best song, but that prize went to an absent Bruce Springsteen for his title song for The Wrestler.
Slumdog Millionaire Slumdog Millionaire was the final answer at VH1's 14th Annual Critics' Choice Awards on Thursday, as the sweeping drama about an improbable winner of India's version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire took the top prizes at the closely watched Oscar barometer.
And Finally the musical Genius said "Its for India"
Monday, January 12, 2009
A R Rahman won Golden Globe Award
New York, Jan 12 (PTI) Music maestro A R Rahman, who became the first Indian to win the prestigious Golden Globe Award, dedicated it to the "billion people of India," as British Director Danny Boyle's Mumbai-based saga 'Slumdog Millionaire,' bagged four prizes at the ceremony today.
A Mumbai underdog's rags-to-riches story, 'Slumdog Millionaire', swept all the four categories it was nominated for, winning the best director award for Boyle, the best music score for Rahman, best screenplay for Simon Beaufoy and also in the category of best drama.
Rahman, who won the coveted prize for his music score 'Jai Ho' in the film, thanked the director and his fellow musicians in Mumbai and Chennai, besides the "billion people from India".
"Unbelievable..! I thought, I would not win, so anyways thanks to the almighty God for bringing me here... Danny Boyle, Fox pictures, all my musicians in Chennai, Mumbai,.. and the billion people from India," he said while accepting the award.
Director Danny Boyle bagged the best director award, while Simon Beaufoy won the best screenplay award for the film that starred Bollywood actors Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and British Indian Dev Patel.
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who was at the ceremony to represent India, introduced the film to the foreign audience with 'Slumdog' actress Frieda Pinto.
It is also the first Golden Globe for 52-year-old Boyle, who is expected to be among the favourites at next month's Oscars following the phenomenal success of the film at award circuits. PTI
A Mumbai underdog's rags-to-riches story, 'Slumdog Millionaire', swept all the four categories it was nominated for, winning the best director award for Boyle, the best music score for Rahman, best screenplay for Simon Beaufoy and also in the category of best drama.
Rahman, who won the coveted prize for his music score 'Jai Ho' in the film, thanked the director and his fellow musicians in Mumbai and Chennai, besides the "billion people from India".
"Unbelievable..! I thought, I would not win, so anyways thanks to the almighty God for bringing me here... Danny Boyle, Fox pictures, all my musicians in Chennai, Mumbai,.. and the billion people from India," he said while accepting the award.
Director Danny Boyle bagged the best director award, while Simon Beaufoy won the best screenplay award for the film that starred Bollywood actors Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and British Indian Dev Patel.
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, who was at the ceremony to represent India, introduced the film to the foreign audience with 'Slumdog' actress Frieda Pinto.
It is also the first Golden Globe for 52-year-old Boyle, who is expected to be among the favourites at next month's Oscars following the phenomenal success of the film at award circuits. PTI
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
A.R. Rahman: The Story Behind the Legend
Words cannot describe the accomplishments of A.R. Rahman, nor does he require any formal introduction. Singer, songwriter, producer, are just a few of Rahman's talents and as HHPulse discovered, the story behind the legend is just as amazing as any and all of his musical compositions.
Billy Ocean
A.R. Rahman, or Allah Rakha Rahman was actually born A.S. Dileep Kumar to a musically gifted Tamil family in Madras (Chennai) on January 6th 1967. While his father, K.A. Sekhar, was a composer and conductor in Malayalam movies, a young Rahman would often travel along side his father and attend the many studio sessions required of a composer. Interestingly, during one of those visits, musical director Sudarshanam Master observed 4 year old Rahman playing a tune on the harmonium. Even when the Master covered the harmonium keys with a cloth, Rahman played the tune again as if the keys were still uncovered. Impressed by what he was witnessing, Sudarshanam Master recommended for 4 year old Rahman to undergo studies as a musician, and soon after a young Dileep was receiving lessons from Dhanraj Master.
Although his young life was filled with promise and joy, much of that was cut short at the age of 9, at the time when Rahman's father died from a mysterious illness. Forced to support his three sisters and mother, he and his family first rented out all of his father's musicial equipment but when that was not enough, Rahman went further by the age of 11 by joining Illaiyaraja's troupe as a keyboard player.
At this point in time, and seeing the potential in her only son, Rahman's mother Kareema Begum encouraged her son to pursue music fulltime, and because of thi
s, his education naturally suffered. Skipping school became a common occurance for Rahman, so much so that it forced the young musician to drop out of the prestigious Padma Seshadri Bai Bhavan to the Madras Christian College, to finally dropping out of school all together by the 11th grade. While out of school, Rahman stayed busy with his music endevours by accompanying Zakir Hussein and Kunakuddi Vaidyanathan on world tours, as well as playing on orchestras commanded by such individuals as M.S. Vishwanathan and Ramesh Naidu.For the next 8-9 years of his life, Rahman would work with different composers and musical directors, and while each experience led to Rahman's understanding of musical compositions, Rahman had always felt that in order to make the greatest music, composers were probably under the influence of some drug or alcohol. Illaiyaraja changed his perceptions on those stereotypes: "Until then I thought you had to drink or take dope to be a good artist. But Illaiyaraja was making such beautiful music and leading a pure life. I was under the impression that if its music, whoever it is, they must have some bad habit. He [Illaiyaraja] proved that he could make music without any bad habits."
In 1988, tragedy struck Rahman's family again as one of his sisters became seriously ill, hovering close to death. After all medications and prayer services were deemed un-helpful, the family asked for the help of Pir Qadri, a religious muslim whom the family had sought at the time of Rahman's father's death. Through Qadri's prayers and blessings, Rahman's sister made an unbelievable full recovery, an experience which convinced Rahman and the entire family of the powers of Allah, and as a result, the entire family converted to Islam. No longer did he present himself as A.S. Dileep Kumar, but now went by the name of Allah Rakha Rahman, or A.R. Rahman: "As Dileep I had an inferiority complex. As A.R. Rahman I feel like I have been born again."
Through all of these experiences, A.R. Rahman built his musical expertise and understanding, as well as a fond understanding of life and religion. Although his early catelogue of works is impressive, it was not until 1991 that his musical genius was discovered. In 1991, Tamil move director Mani Ratnam took a chance on the young Rahman, who at that time was best known for a composition he had produced for a Leo Coffee commercial. After inviting Rahman to a studio session, it only took one listen to a Rahman track to convince Mani Ratman that A.R. Rahman was his man. After signing Rahman to produce the score for the film "Roja," the song "Tamizha Tamizha" became an instant Tamil hit in India, and launched the then 25 year old into stardom.
Of course A.R. Rahman had much more in-store for the world to witness when in 1998, Mani Ratnam employed Rahman again to compose the score for his first Hindi film "Dil Se." Although the film flopped and was unsuccessful in India, the title track "Dil Se," sung by Rahman himself, as well as his production for the hit "Chaiyya Chaiyya" was enough to bring movie-goers to the theaters. It only takes one listen to these two tracks to understand why A.R. Rahman is widely considered as one of the best musical composers to ever come out of India.
Of course, an entire book can be written on A.R. Rahman, however getting a small glimpse into the life of a legend is a humbling experience. Not only has A.R. Rahman received numerous awards and accolades, but his 2002 Broadway debut "Bombay Dreams" received a generous welcome as well. Throughout all of his accomplishments, A.R Rahman has completely transcended all cultural boundaries by his musical productions, compositions, and vocal performances, and never ceases to amaze the musical industry.
A.R. Rahman is currently on a US Tour entitled "The 3rd Dimension," which features Rahman, Sukhwinder Singh, Chitra, Hariharan, Sadhana Sargam, Sivamani, Blaaze, and others.
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